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Re: HAMMERTIME! (BountyGate)

I guess the feel good Saints story is over.

You know how hippos are made out to be sweet and silly, like big cows, but are actually extremely dangerous and can kill you with stunning brutality? The Pacers are the NBA's hippos....Matt Moore CBS Sports....

Re: HAMMERTIME! (BountyGate)

I imagine they'll get leveled down after appeals, but the message to organizations has been sent loud and clear.

I don't know about the success of any appeal. This wasn't a spur of the moment decision. From all indications the NFL was very thorough in their investigation and built their case methodically and overwhelmingly.

As such, I don't buy Hicks' comparison to the Brawl. That was a kneejerk reaction to a solitary incident. This was a systemic program and cover-up that went on for years.

Re: HAMMERTIME! (BountyGate)

3. Coach Williams acknowledged that he designed and implemented the program with the assistance of certain
defensive players. He said that he did so after being told by Saints Head Coach Sean Payton that his
assignment was to make the defense “nasty.” Coach Williams described his role as overseeing record keeping,
defining payout amounts, deciding on who received payouts, and distributing envelopes with cash to players
who “earned” rewards.

5. Coach Williams now acknowledges that when he was first questioned about this matter in early 2010 he
intentionally misled NFL investigators and made no effort to stop the program after he became aware of the
league’s investigation.

6. Coach Williams further confirmed that the program continued during the 2010 and 2011 seasons, and that
he occasionally contributed funds to the pool in each of those seasons.

7. Assistant Head Coach/Defense Joe Vitt acknowledged that he was aware of the program in 2009-2011. He
admitted that, when interviewed in 2010, he “fabricated the truth” to NFL investigators and denied that any pay-
for-performance or bounty program existed at the Saints.

8. Coach Vitt said one of his primary roles was to monitor the activity of Coach Williams. This was based on
the direction of Coach Payton, who apparently had less than full confidence in Coach Williams. Despite Coach
Vitt’s knowledge of the bounty program, his understanding of the terms “knock-out” and “cart-off,” his
witnessing Coach Williams handing out envelopes that he believed to contain cash, and his acknowledgement
that the defensive meeting preceding the 2010 NFC Championship Game may have “got out of hand” with
respect to Brett Favre, Coach Vitt claimed he never advised either Coach Payton or General Manager Mickey
Loomis of the “pay-for-performance/bounty” program.

10. When interviewed in 2012, Sean Payton claimed to be entirely unaware of the program, a claim
contradicted by others. Further, prior to the Saints’ opening game in 2011, Coach Payton received an email
from a close associate that stated in part, “PS Greg Williams put me down for $5000 on Rogers (sic).” When
shown the email during the course of the investigation, Coach Payton stated that it referred to a “bounty” on
Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

11. In early 2010, Mr. Loomis advised Coach Payton that the league office was investigating allegations
concerning a bounty program. Coach Payton said that he met with his top two defensive assistants, Coach
Williams and Coach Vitt, in advance of the interview with league investigators and told them, “Let’s make sure
our ducks are in a row.” Remarkably, Coach Payton claimed that he never inquired of Coach Williams and
Coach Vitt as to what happened in the interviews, never asked them if a “pay-for-performance” or bounty
program was in fact in place, and never gave any instructions to discontinue such a program.

Game, set, match. I think theres a better chance of pigs flying than suspensions being reduced.

"Nobody wants to play against Tyler Hansbrough NO BODY!" ~ Frank Vogel

"And David put his hand in the bag and took out a stone and slung it. And it struck the Philistine on the head and he fell to the ground. Amen. "

Re: HAMMERTIME! (BountyGate)

I expected harsh, even beyond spygate-level punishment. The fines were similar, the loss of draft picks too, but the suspensions here were the big surprise and clearly define bountygate as far worse than spygate (though both pale in comparison to other transgressions such as the Broncos secret payments to Elway and Terrell Davis, which thankfully for them occurred before the hanging judge Goodell was in place or else their franchise would not exist).

The poster "pacertom" since this forum began (and before!). I changed my name here to "Slick Pinkham" in honor of the imaginary player That Bobby "Slick" Leonard picked late in the 1971 ABA draft (true story!).

Re: HAMMERTIME! (BountyGate)

I expected harsh, even beyond spygate-level punishment. The fines were similar, the loss of draft picks too, but the suspensions here were the big surprise and clearly define bountygate as far worse than spygate (though both pale in comparison to other transgressions such as the Broncos secret payments to Elway and Terrell Davis, which thankfully for them occurred before the hanging judge Goodell was in place or else their franchise would not exist).

The suspensions were probably more harsh due to the lawsuits of head injuries the NFL is facing.

Spygate didn't have former NFL players suing the league for millions and coaches giving ammunition to lawyers to a force a big settlement in favor of the players.

The Following User Says Thank You to TheDavisBrothers For This Useful Post:

Re: HAMMERTIME! (BountyGate)

So the NotsoSaints lose a 2nd rounder and since the draft position rotation has us drafting 1st in the 3rd we essentially move up to the last pick in the 2nd round. (Meh, one player that wouldnt have been there WILL be there for teh Colts to pick from).